Published: July 16, 2008 10:50 pm            

HS BASKETBALL: Wolvearena to become summer hoops haven

NIAGARA FALLS — The next few days might seem like the middle of winter in the Cataract City.

Relax — not in terms of weather, but the intense high school boys basketball action that’s scheduled for Niagara Falls High School’s Wolvearena. At 7 p.m. today, a group of area all-stars will scrimmage the Western Region’s scholastic men’s basketball team and all day Saturday, the annual Niagara Falls High School Team Camp is scheduled.

Today’s scrimmage is the second of the summer between the two teams. They previously battled it out last month at Niagara University’s Kiernan Center. Sal Constantino, who organizes the team of area all-stars, said the matchup is a great fit for the Empire States Games team.

“I know this is a good matchup because after the last one, their coach came over and said ‘Sal, do you think we could do this again right before the Games?’ ” Constantino said. “I think the athleticism and speed we can show them really helps them a lot.”

Constantino expects to have current NFHS players Myron Respress, C.J. Cox and Kenny Stokes, former NFHS and Gannon University star Demondi Johnson, former Williamsville North and current Medaille College player Mike Berkun, both Will and JIm Regan of Nichols and perhaps former NFHS seven-footer Franklin Jones on his roster. The ESG team includes Niagara Falls’ Kelvin Agee and Davon Marshall along with Aaron Davis of North Tonawanda.

Saturday’s event, which is set to tip at 9 a.m., features 14 teams scheduled to play two games each. Some of the highlight games include Nichols against Niagara Falls at 10:15 a.m. and Canisius vs. NFHS at 12:45 p.m. Other local teams scheduled to attend are Cardinal O’Hara, Kenmore West, Newfane, North Tonawanda, St. Joe’s and Wilson.

“We have a good mixture of schools with some good small schools and some of the better top level larger schools,” Constantino said. “It’s also a dead period for Division I recruiting, so almost every team should be at full strength because all the showcases were the past couple of weeks. It should be your five starters against their five.”

Constantino said several Division II, III and junior college coaches are scheduled to attend.

Both events are free and open to the public.

Contact reporter Nate Beutel at 282-2311, ext. 2262.



SATURDAY’S LINEUP

The schedule for the Niagara Falls High School Team Camp

9 a.m. — Wilson vs. North Tonawanda (Wolvearena), Kenmore West vs. Cardinal O’Hara (Auxiliary)

10:15 a.m. — Nichols vs. Niagara Falls (Wolvearena), Aquinas vs. Canisius (Auxiliary)

11:30 a.m. — Kenmore West vs. Wilson (Wolvearena), Cardinal O’Hara vs. North Tonawanda (Auxiliary)

12:45 p.m. — Canisius vs. Niagara Falls (Wolvearena), Nichols vs. Aquinas (Auxiliary)

2 p.m. — St. Joe’s vs. Depew (Wolvearena), Batavia vs. Williamsville North (Auxiliary)

3:15 p.m. — Holland vs. Aquinas (Wolvearena), Newfane vs. Niagara Falls (Auxiliary)

4:30 p.m. — Williamsville North vs. St. Joe’s (Wolvearena), Depew vs. Batavia (Auxiliary)

5:45 p.m. — Holland vs. Newfane (Wolvearena)

        

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